Drennan’s Ryan Hayden has been enjoying some great sport on the canal lately, with perch and zander falling to simple jig tactics using our E-Sox Dropshot Lures. 

After a biteless morning afloat on a section of River Thames backwater targeting perch, I made the decision to move onto the canal nearby in search of a few bites. Arriving at the canal you could see that the recent rainfall had coloured up the water considerably, so it wasn’t going to be easy.

My set-up consists of a 6ft jig rod coupled with an FD3000 reel loaded with 10lb low diameter braid, to which I attach a 6ft E-Sox Dropshot Fluorocarbon Leader and a small 2g jig head. On canals I like to fish as light as possible as I’m not having to cast far and the depth is only around 3/4ft deep. This allows the lure to act more life-like and it gives the lure longer to fall through the water.

After a quiet half hour, I managed to locate a few fish under a series of boats that were moored up alongside each other. After a few tentative taps, finally, a fish! Only a small perch of about a pound or so, but a great start and a real confidence booster.

A switch of lure to a Golden Speckle Paddle Tail and it didn’t take long before another perch made its way over the net. Closely followed by a small zander the following cast.

Then as dusk approached I received a few small tentative taps, then bang! After a few powerful runs as it desperately tried to make a bid for freedom under the boats, a perch of 3lb 2oz slid over the waiting net.